MPs assail runners over predicting vote results

KABUL (Pajhwok): Some lower house members on Saturday said they were concerned about own predictions by presidential candidates about the outcome of April 5 elections and widespread fraud allegations.

They believed any premature judgment about the vote’s outcome could disturb the public mind and create chaos.

Independent Election Commission (IEC) and Independent Electoral Complaints Commission (IECC) officials say the vote tallying process is ongoing in a transparent manner.

They acknowledge widespread fraud as so far more than 3,000 complaints about fraud and other irregularities have been registered. They say they have quarantined ballot boxes of various polling centres in order to clean out fraudulent votes.

Wolesi Jirga member from western Herat province Munawar Shah Bahaduri alleged the government and the election bodies had been trying to alter the outcome in favour of a specific candidate.  

Without giving details, Bahaduri said some political figures had launched efforts to get a specific presidential runner failed.

“If the results are changed in favour a particular candidate, lawmakers will not stay silent,” he warned.

“Any electoral fraud and manipulating the outcome will be unacceptable. People’s votes should be respected and we will defend our constituents’ rights,’ he added.

Those accused of fraud and negligence in duty should be introduced to the Attorney General Office (AGO), he suggested.

Meanwhile, other lawmakers warned irresponsible predictions about the results could have harmful consequences.

They said such predictions should be avoided because it could disturb the public and raise questions about the vote’s legitimacy.   

mrh/ma

Visits: 1